RIL named among 25 sustainable value creators globally: BCG

NEW DELHI: Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance Industries has been named as the world's fifth biggest 'sustainable value creator' in a list of 25 top companies globally in terms of investor returns over a decade.

The petrochemicals giant is the only Indian company on the list, which has been topped by US-based pharma major Gilead Sciences and has been compiled by Boston Consulting Group in an annual report from its Value Creators series.

RIL is ranked even higher than NRI billionaire Lakshmi Mittal-led global steel major ArcelorMittal, and also many other global giants like BHP Billiton, Samsung, Tesco, Rio Tinto, BASF, McDonald's, Colgate-Palmolive and Procter&Gamble.

In the top five, Gilead Sciences is followed by IT major Apple (2nd place), British American Tobacco (3rd), Brazilian mining major Vale (4th) and RIL (5th).

The report, 'Searching for Sustainability: Value Creation in an Era of Diminished Expectations' has identified 25 firms, with a market capitalisation of at least USD 30 billion, that have consistently outperformed their local stock-market average during the 10 years from 1999 to 2008.

"Companies suffering a massive decline in stock market valuation in the wake of the global economic crisis should learn the lessons of an elite group of so-called sustainable value creators that have generated sizable and sustainable shareholder returns over a decade," the BCG report stated.